Notes:
npm install --save(-S) andnpm install --save-dev(-D) flags are the default behaviour since npm v5 — the flags are still valid but optional.- Prefer
npx <package>over global (-g) installs for one-off CLI tools to always use the latest version.- Use the
node:protocol prefix for built-in module imports in modern Node.js:import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises'.
| Sl.No. | Commands | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 01. | npm install node@22 |
Install Node.js v22 (current LTS as of 2026). Use nvm / fnm for version management on your machine. |
| 02. | npm init |
Creates package.json interactively |
| 03. | npm init -y |
Creates package.json with defaults (skip prompts) |
| 04. | npm install |
Install all dependencies listed in package.json into node_modules |
| 05. | npm ci |
Clean install from package-lock.json (faster, deterministic – use in CI/CD pipelines) |
| 06. | npm install -g live-server |
Install live-server globally |
| 07. | npm install -g grunt-cli |
Install Grunt CLI globally |
| 08. | live-server |
Start a local dev HTTP server with live reload |
| 09. | npm install express |
Install express into local project (--save is default since npm v5) |
| 10. | npm install cors |
Cross Origin Resource Sharing – allows API access from other domains |
| 11. | npm install express-session |
Install express-session |
| 12. | npm install mongoose |
Install Mongoose (MongoDB ODM) |
| 13. | npm install ws |
Install WebSocket library |
| 14. | npm install socket.io |
WebSocket abstraction with fallbacks |
| 15. | npm install underscore |
Utility library (consider lodash or native ES2024 alternatives) |
| 16. | npm uninstall underscore |
Remove a package |
| 17. | npm install --save-dev mocha |
JavaScript unit-testing framework |
| 18. | npx mocha |
Run Mocha tests via npx (no global install needed) |
| 19. | npm install --save-dev nock |
HTTP server mocking for tests |
| 20. | npm install --save-dev rewire |
Dependency injection for tests |
| 21. | npm install --save-dev sinon |
Mocks, stubs and spies for tests |
| 22. | npm install --save-dev supertest |
HTTP assertion library for integration tests |
| 23. | npm install --save-dev cheerio |
Server-side jQuery-like HTML parsing |
| 24. | npm install --save-dev c8 |
Native V8 code-coverage tool (replaces the deprecated istanbul/nyc) |
| 25. | npx c8 mocha |
Run Mocha with V8 coverage report |
| 26. | npm install --save-dev eslint |
JavaScript/TypeScript linter (replaces the legacy jshint) |
| 27. | npx eslint --init |
Interactive ESLint configuration wizard |
| 28. | npm install -g typescript |
Install TypeScript compiler globally |
| 29. | npm install -g webpack-cli |
Install Webpack CLI globally |
| 30. | npx webpack |
Run Webpack via npx |
| 31. | npm install -g sass |
Install Dart Sass (the current implementation – Ruby Sass is end-of-life) |
| 32. | sass --watch src/styles:dist/css |
Watch and compile Sass to CSS |
| 33. | sass --style=compressed input.scss output.css |
Compile and minify a Sass file |
| 34. | gulp develop |
Start dev server (Gulp task) |
| 35. | gulp build |
Clean and minify into a single file |
| 36. | gulp watch |
Watch for file changes |
| 37. | gulp test:tdd |
Run unit tests in TDD mode |
| 38. | npm start |
Run the start script defined in package.json |
| 39. | node app.js |
Run app.js on Node.js |
| 40. | node --watch app.js |
Run app.js and auto-restart on file changes (built-in since Node.js 18, replaces nodemon for basic use) |
| 41. | node --inspect app.js |
Start Node.js with Chrome DevTools debugger enabled |
| 42. | node --inspect-brk app.js |
Start with debugger and break on first line |
| 43. | node -v |
Print Node.js version |
| 44. | npm -v |
Print npm version |
| 45. | tsc -v |
Print TypeScript compiler version |
| 46. | git version |
Print Git version |
| 47. | webpack -v |
Print Webpack version |
| 48. | npm -l |
Display full npm usage info |
| 49. | npm config list |
List npm configuration |
| 50. | npm config rm proxy |
Remove proxy setting |
| 51. | npm config rm https-proxy |
Remove HTTPS proxy setting |
| 52. | npm cache clean --force |
Clear the npm cache (--force required since npm v5) |
| 53. | npm audit |
Scan installed packages for known security vulnerabilities |
| 54. | npm audit fix |
Automatically fix vulnerabilities where possible |
| 55. | npm outdated |
List packages that have newer versions available |
| 56. | npm update |
Update all packages to their latest compatible versions |
| 57. | npm run <script> |
Run a script defined in the scripts field of package.json |
| 58. | npm pack |
Create a tarball of the package (useful before publishing) |
| 59. | npm publish |
Publish the package to the npm registry |
| 60. | npm link |
Create a symlink in the global folder |
| 61. | npm link <package> |
Link-install a package from another local directory |
| 62. | npx <package> |
Execute a package binary without installing it globally |
| 63. | corepack enable |
Enable Corepack (built-in Node.js 16.9+ tool that manages Yarn and pnpm versions) |
| 64. | ng add @angular/material |
Add Angular Material to an Angular project |
| 65. | npm install rxjs |
Reactive Extensions Library for JavaScript (current: v7.x) |
| 66. | npm install jsonwebtoken |
JSON Web Token implementation |
| 67. | npm install dotenv |
Load environment variables from a .env file |
| 68. | npm install helmet |
Secure Express apps by setting various HTTP headers |
| 69. | npm install --save-dev jest |
JavaScript testing framework with built-in coverage |
| 70. | npx jest --coverage |
Run Jest tests with coverage report |
| 71. | npm install --save-dev @types/node |
TypeScript type definitions for Node.js |
| 72. | npm install grunt-contrib-watch --save-dev |
Grunt plugin to watch files for changes |